Combined spring and friction shock absorber



S. B. HASELTINE COMBINED SPRING AND FRICTION .SHOCK ABSORBER Oct. 29, 1946.

Filed Npv. 24, 1943 Fig! I Patented Oct. 29, 1946 2,410,160

UNITED sT TEs' PATENT OFFICE COMBINED srnmo AND FRICTION snoon ABSORBER Stacy B. Haseltine, La Grange, 111., assignor to W. H..Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Delaware Application November 24, 1943, Serial No. 511,505;

This invention relates to improvements in combined spring and friction shock absorbers, especially adapted for use in connection with railway car trucks.

nism and said base portion H and flange l2 together form a follower plate or disc member [3 which cooperates with the spring resistance C. The peripheral cylindrical surface of the base -One object of the invention is to provide a 5 p rti n H f th plate It which surface s combined spring and friction shock absorber, Cheated by M, presents a substantially Vertically especially adapted for use in connection with extending abutmentwallforapurpose hereinafter truck springs of railway cars to snub or dampen described. The two posts A and B are reversely the action of the springs. arranged, that is, the post B is inverted with Another object of the invention is to provide respect to the p n f t p t s sh wn a friction shock absorber, adapted to be submost clearly in Figure the f0110We1 plate stituted for one or more of the spring unit ber l3of the postA is located at the bottom end of a, cluster 0f truckgprings of a, railway ar, of the mechanism and has the friction plate In comprising a pair of relatively slidable friction upstanding therefrom, While the follower plate elements, and spring means opposing relative portion 3 of the p st B is at t the pp r sliding movement of said elements wherein the end of t mechanism and h the friction spring means also functions to press said elements plate 9 depending therefromin frictional contact with each other. The f e e portion of the frietieh Plate A .more specific object of the invention is to tion of each p s laterally a d y enlarge provide a friction shock absorber of the character as a ed at l 5, thereby p oviding a horizontal indicated in the preceding paragraph, wherein Shoulder AS Clearly ShOWh in Figure the the friction elements are in the form of relatively nlar d p t n W f the p t A s at the upp r movable friction posts adapted to be tilted toend thereof While the nlar d po t o o the ward each other to bring the same into close 190st B is at the lower end of the letter n t e frictional contact, .and the spring means, which 5 Shoulders f t tWO posts overhang ea Other opposes relative sliding movement of the posts e ge and limit sepa of the p sts in and.p1tesses th Same i t Contact with each lengthwise direction and hold the mechanism other, is in the form .of a coil spring element assembledsurrounding the posts and closely embracing the the inner Side, the friction plate ber same, thereby yieldingly resisting lateral sepa,- H] of each post has flat friction surfaces I1 and rationnofsaid posts. I8 offset with respect to each other, said friction Other objects of the invention will more clearly Surfaces being f respectively On t e nward appear from the description. and claims hereinenlargement t5 and the ma n y Portion of after following. said plate member, the friction surface I! of th In the drawing "forming a, part of thi specificapost A having sliding contact with the friction tion, Figure 1' is a vertical sectional View of my Surface 18 of the post B, and the friction surface improved. friction shock absorber. Figure 2 is l8 of the pos A having sl ng Co tact with the a horizontal sectional View, corresponding ,subfr ct on Su face t'l Of the post B. The friction stantially to the line :2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 plate portion ll! of each post is reinforced on its is a top plan view of Figure 1. Figure 4gis a 'yiew, 40 Outer e by a lo gitudinal central rib I 9 extendsimilar to Figure 1, illustrating :another embodie from t base Der-tier! H to e ute end of merit of the invention. the friction plate. As shown most clearly in In said drawing, referring first to the embodi- F u e 2, the outer edge of the rib is rounded ment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1, ff tr n v r ly t r p nd with the curva- 2, .and :3, my improved friction shock absorber ture of the cylindrical outer surface 14 of said comprises broadly two similar friction posts A base portion H and merges with the surface I4, and Band :a spring resistance C. as shown in Figure 1. The rib I9 is preferably The friction posts Aand B are identical, each slightly inclined inwardly toward the vertical post comprising a vertically disposed heavy plate axis of the mechanism, the rib of the post A being Ill .having .a cylindrical base portion l I eccentric inclined inwardly in upward direction and that thereto, .and .a laterally extending annular flange of the post B being inclined inwardly in downward I'Zprojecting from said. base portion, concentric direction. Each post is thus, in effect, tapered with the vertical centralaxis of the mechanism. toward its outer end.

The base portion 1 i is slightly eccentric with As shown most clearly in Figure 1, the flange I2 of the follower plate [3 of the post A is of rerespect to the vertical central axis of the mechaduced thickness at the right hand side, and the flange l2 of the post B is of reduced thickness at the left hand side of the mechanism, thereby providing clearance between the spring C and said reduced portions of the flanges I2-I2. As further shown in Figure 1, the underneath surface of the follower plate member I3 of each post is at slightly less than a right angle to the planes of the friction surfaces I1 and I8 of the plate It) of the post. As will be evident, the follower plate member I3 of each post is thus tilted slightly with respect t a horizontal plane. As shown in Figure 2, the follower plate member of the post A is tilted upwardly at the left hand end and the follower plate member of the post B is tilted downwardly at the right hand end. Each follower plate member I3 is provided with a, central pocket or seat 28 adapted to receive the usual spring centering projection of the corresponding spring follower plate 2I of the truck spring cluster, said follower plate being shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

The parts of the friction posts are so proportioned that movement of the posts in lengthwise direction toward each other is positively limited by engagement of the outer end of the post B with the upper side of the base portion I I of the post A andby engagement of the outer end of the post A with the underneath side of the base portion II of the post B.

The spring resistance C, which is in the form of a heavy coil, surrounds the posts A and B and bears at its top and bottom ends on the top and bottom follower plate members I3-I3. The spring C is under initial compression and the inner sides of the top and bottom coils bear on the vertical walls I4 of the base portions II of the posts at the outer sides of said posts, that is, the inner side of the coil at the upper end of the spring bears on the wall I4 of the base member II of the post B at the left hand side of the mechanism, and the coil at the lower end of the spring bears on the wall I4 of the base member II of the post A at the right hand side of the mechanism, as seen in Figure l. Inasmuch as the cylindrical base portions II of the posts are eccentric to the vertical central axis of the spring C and the mechanism as a whole, there is a substantial clearance between the wall M of the base member II of the post A and the inner side of the lower coil of the spring at the left hand side of the mechanism and between the wall I4 of the base member II of the post B and the inner side of the upper coil of the spring at the right hand ide, as seen in Figure 1.

In assembling the mechanism shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the spring C is first placed over the friction plate ID of the post A. The post B is then assembled with the other parts by inserting the friction plate ID of the same downwardly within the coils of the spring, the posts A and B being held in tilted position away from each other so that the enlargements I5-I5 thereof will pass each other. This tilting movement of the posts within the spring is permitted by the clearance provided due to the taper of the ribbed portions of the posts. The parts are forced together until the shoulders IIi-IG pass each other, whereupon the shoulder of the post B will snap under the shoulder of the post A, thereby locking the posts together against lengthwise separation. I

My improved shock absorber preferably replaces one or more of the spring units of a truck spring cluster, being interposed between the usual top andbottom spring plates which cooperate with 4 said cluster; however, several of such shock absorbing units may be employed in a single spring cluster replacing two or more units of the latter.

The operation of the improved shock absorber illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3 is as follows: Upon the spring cluster of the truck of a railway car being compressed between the spring follower plates of the cluster, the shock absorbing unit, which is disposed between said follower plates, is compressed therewith, thereby forcing the post B downwardly toward the post A, against the resistance of the spring C. Due to the tilted condition of the follower plate members I3-I3, with respect to the spring follower plates of the truck spring cluster, the pressure exerted by the spring C in being compressed will act to rock the posts toward each other, thereby placing the friction surfaces thereof in tight frictional contact. At the same time, due to the tendency of the follower plate members I3--I3 to seat flatly on the spring follower plates of the spring cluster, a canting action of the spring is produced which causes the coil at the lower end of the spring to be forced laterally against the cylindrical base portion of the post A at the right hand side of the mechanism and the coil at the upper end of the spring to be forced laterally against the cylindrical base portion of the post B, at the left hand side of the mechanism, thereby tightly pressing together the friction surface portions of said posts. During relative lengthwise movement of the posts on their friction surfaces during compression of the mechanism, the required frictional resistance is developed to effectively snub the action of the truck springs. Upon release of the mechanism, the posts A and B are restored to the normal position shown in Figure 1 by the expansive action of the spring C, longitudinal separation of the posts being limited by engagement of the shoulders I6I6 of the posts with each other.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, the design is identical with that shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, with the exception that the flanges of the top and bottom follower plates of the posts are of slightly different design, the top surface of the upper follower plate, and the underneath surface of the bottom follower plate being at right angles to the vertical central axis of the mechanism, and the flanges of said follower plates being transversely tapered from end to end.

The mechanism illustrated in Figure 4 comprises interengaging friction posts which are identical with the posts hereinbefore described in connection with Figures 1, 2, and 3, except as hereinafter pointed out. The posts and parts thereof, which are identical with those shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, are indicated by the same reference characters.

The base portion I I of each post A and B has a peripheral flange I22 which tapers fromlone side to the other, the flange I22 of the post A being of reduced thickness at the right hand side of the mechanism and th flange I22 of the post B being of reduced thickness at the left hand side of the mechanism, as viewed in Figure 4. The bottom surface I23 of the flange I22 of the post A lies in a plane at right angles to the planes of the friction surfaces of said post and the top surface I24 of said flange is inclined upwardly toward the left hand side, as seen in Figure 4. The top surface I25 of the flange I22 of the post B lies in a plane at right angles to the planes of the friction surfaces of said post and the bottom rface l zs is inclined upwardly toward the left, {as seen i'r'ijligilf 4;: The opposed surraees lra d 123' er tr enanges are substantially parallel etnegsurraeesmsand-1250f said-flanges have substantially flat. bearing on the I bottom and top spring f'ollowersof the truck spring cluster. {The spr-ing shown Figure 4, which i's indicated by Dfis substantiallyidentical with the spring C, 'hereinbeforedescribed. 1 r 5 The spring D surrounds the friction plate members [O le-of "the posts A and B and bears at its top and bottom ends on the flanges l22--I 22 of the friction posts B and A, respectively. The spring D is placed and arranged similarly to the spring C, hereinbefore described, the tapered flanges l2 2l22 of the posts providing clearance at the left hand side of the mechanism between the flange I22 of the post B and the coil at the top end, of the spring D, and at the right hand side of the mechanism between the flange I22 of the post A and the-coil at the bottom end of the spring, as seen in Figure 4.

The procedure of assembling the mechanism is the same as that hereinbefore described in connection with Figures 1, 2, and 3.

The operation is also the same as hereinbefore described, with the exception that the pressure of the spring D on the follower plate members of the posts does not tend to produce rocking action, the posts being forcedtogether into tight frictional engagement by lateral pressure exerted by the spring D, the spring D, while being compressed between the followers, having a canting action due to the tendency of the top and bottom coils to seat flatly on the tapered flanges l22--l22 of the spring follower members l3-|3 of the posts A and B.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

' Iclaim:

1. In a friction shock absorber mechanism, the combination with an upper friction post having a base portion at the upper end thereof, said base portion having a vertical abutment surface on the outer side thereof at one side of the mechanism; of a lower friction post having a base portion at the lower end thereof, said base portion having a vertical abutment surface at the outer side thereof at the opposite side of the mechanism, said posts having lengthwise sliding engagement with each other; and a coil sprin surrounding said posts and opposing relative longitudinal movement thereof, said coil spring having the inner sides of the coils at the top and bottom ends in bearing engagement respectively with the abutment surfaces of said base portions.

2. In a friction shock absorber, the combination with a top spring follower plate; of a bottom spring follower plate; a top friction post depending from said top plate; a bottom friction post upstandin from said bottom spring follower plate, said posts having lengthwise sliding engagement with each other, said top post havin a.

lateral abutment face at its base end at the outer side of said post, said bottom post having a lateral abutment face at its base end at the outer side of the post; and a coil spring enclosing said posts and bearing at its top and bottom ends on said top and bottom spring follower plates, said spring having the inner sides of the top and botmerit-races ofsaidpb'sts 3. In'a fri-c'tion shocli' absorber, the combination with a top spring follower -plate; of-a bottdih's'pringqfollOwiar plate; a top friction ipost "depending from" said top plate a bottom friction post upstanding' from said bottom spring followe'r plat'ewsaid -po'sts'having cooperating friction surfaces on the inner sides thereof; and a coil spring surrounding said posts, bearing at its top and bottom ends on said top and bottom spring follower plates, said spring having the inner side of the coil at the upper end seated against the outer side of the top post at the base portion of the latter below said top spring follower plate, and the inner side of the bottom coil thereof seated against the outer side of the bottom post at the base portion of the latter above said bottom spring follower plate.

4. In a friction shock absorber, the combination with a top friction post having a follower plate at its upper end laterally projecting therefrom, said follower plate having top and bottom surfaces laterally inclined with respect to each other, said top surface lying in a horizontal plane; of a bottom friction post having a follower plate at its bottom end laterally extending therefrom, said follower plate having top and bottom surfaces laterally inclined with respect to each other, said last named bottom surface lying in a horizontal plane, said posts being in longitudinal sliding engagement with each other; and a coil spring surrounding said posts and having the top and bottom ends thereof bearing on said follower plates respectively.

5. In a friction shock absorber, the combination with a top friction post having a laterally extending follower plate section at its upper end; of a bottom friction post having a laterally extending follower plate section at its bottom end, said posts having sliding engagement with each other along their inner sides; interengaging shoulders on said posts for limiting lengthwise separation thereof; and a coil spring surrounding said posts and having its top and bottom ends bearing on said follower plate sections of said top and bottom posts respectively.

6. In a friction shock absorber, the combination with a top friction post having a follower plate portion at its upper end; of a bottom friction post having a follower plate at its lower end, said posts being tiltable toward each other by rocking movement of said follower plates; and a coil spring surrounding said posts and hearing at its top and bottom ends on said follower plates to rock the same and tilt the posts toward each other, said spring having the inner side of the coil at the upper end seated against the outer side of the top post at the base portion of the latter, and the inner side of the coil at the bottom end thereof seated against the outer side of the bottom post at the base portion of the latter.

'7. In a friction shock absorber, the combination with a top friction post having a follower plate at its upper end inclined laterally; of a bottom friction post having a follower-plate at its bottom end inclined laterally, said posts being tiltable toward each other by rocking movement of said follower plates; and a coil spring surrounding said posts and bearing at its top and bottom ends on said follower plates to rock the same and tilt the posts toward each other, said spring having the inner side of the coil at the upper end seated against the outer side of the top post at the base portion of the latter, and

10 base portion of the latter.

8 posts being in longitudinal sliding engagement with each other; and a coil spring surrounding said posts and. having the top and bottom ends thereof engaging said follower plates, said spring having the inner side of the coil at the upper end seated against the outer side of the top post at the base portion of the latter, and the inner side of the coil at the bottom end thereof seated against the outer side of the bottom post at the STACY B. HASELTINE. 

